Talking in Spirals
by Misura
Summary: Anzu and Kaiba talk, while Yugi's lunch falls prey to Honda and Joey. [hints at one-sided YugiAnzu and AnzuKaiba]


Talking in spirals

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Warnings/notes : slight Yugi -in love with- Anzu, Anzu -in love with- Seto and Seto -having feelings for- ? (if you're romantically inclined), slightly silly, drabble-ish shortie.

Disclaimer : I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

written at 5th july 2004, by Misura

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"We'd be your friends, if you let us," Anzu states to Kaiba. "-I-'d be your friend, if you let me."

She offers him a smile. A special smile, that's reserved for special people.

On the other end of the cafeteria, Yugi's lunch falls victim to Honda and Joey, who pounce on it like a pair of starved wolves, with about as much table-manners.

Yugi doesn't notice.

Kaiba does, lifting his head at the triumphant howl that Joey lets out at capturing Yugi's dessert.

He grimaces, a glimmer of disdain and disgust in his eyes, before they are averted, back to the screen of his laptop.

"It's pretty rude to ignore people, you know." Anzu tries to sound stern. Or, at least, firm. Confident.

"Nobody forced you to come and sit at my table," Kaiba replies.

Which is true.

Nobody forced Anzu to leave Yugi and Ryou to defend their lunches on their own, to cross the cafeteria and sit down on the one seat that stays empty no matter how crowded the cafeteria gets.

Because on that one seat, Kaiba lays the briefcase that contains his laptop. And for some reason, that's enough to keep anyone from taking it.

It'd be logical to simply put the briefcase on the table. There's plenty of room, since the table's designed to accomodate at least four students and their meals.

Somehow, what would be 'logical' for any other person, is 'impossible' for Seto Kaiba. But not for Anzu Mazaki, naturally.

"So ... you -are- listening to me," Anzu notes with a certain cheer.

For a moment, she thinks her cheerfulness has been too much, that Kaiba will go back to ignoring her again now, until the end of the lunch-break. It wouldn't be the first time.

"I'm -hearing- you," Kaiba corrects her. "That's not the same."

Be that as it may, 'hearing' her is still more than Kaiba has ever admitted to before. Anzu senses she is making progress, in spite of the fact that Kaiba'd probably deny his attitude having changed in the slightest due to her influence.

"I think you need a friend," Anzu goes back to her original subject. Normally, she hates repeating herself this often, but Kaiba needs to be shoved with his nose into reality before he accepts it. Like some untrained, ill-mannered puppy.

"You think I need -you-." Kaiba nearly spits out the last word.

"A friend. Someone to talk to, aside from Mokuba." Anzu watches Kaiba's expression soften for a moment at the name of his little brother. His little brother, whose life she, Anzu, has saved. More or less. "It could be anyone."

She wants it to be her, of course. And why not? She understands him, better than most people, possibly excluding Yugi and, obviously, Mokuba. And she -wants- it.

"You would be friends with me?" Kaiba studies her. Not weighing, as if he's judging her, but merely curious. Puzzled, perhaps.

Considering Kaiba's usual behavior, Anzu'd imagine he doesn't get -that- many offers of friendship.

"Yes." Anzu lifts her chin.

"Why?" It's a neutral question. Too neutral. It means her answer is important somehow.

"Because I think you're not as cold as you act. Because I think you could use a good friend. Because ... I want to." What other reason would she need except for that last one? Isn't she free to do what she feels like doing?

"Rather egoistic, don't you agree?" Kaiba's voice isn't neutral anymore. "-You- think, -you- want ... what about -my- thoughts, -my- desires? Do those count for nothing?"

Anzu shakes her head, managing, -forcing- herself, not to laugh at the ridiculous way Kaiba has twisted her words around, to rob them of their meaning.

She has witnessed him doing this to others. To Yugi, with the sole purpose of forcing him to accept Kaiba's demand for a rematch. To teachers, who don't approve of his attitude, his lack of paying attention in class to their words, since he 'already knows all he needs to know'.

Never to Joey, for some reason. Perhaps Joey's words are too direct, too raw and crude to twist them. Maybe it's simply too hard, even for Kaiba, to turn around a remark like 'You're looking like a corpse today. Or a vampire'. Especially when it's so much easier to hurl back another insult.

In a way, Kaiba's communication with Joey is the most uncomplicated one of all. No beating around the bush, no playing games, aside from on the most basic of levels.

A pity all they do is call each other names.

"I was just - " Anzu starts, before the sound of the bell drowns out the rest of her words. Most students linger for a while, in no hurry to get back to class. Kaiba, of course, does not act like the majority.

He retrieves the briefcase Anzu has placed in between them, on the table, places his laptop in it and walks away without another word or glance in her direction.

Anzu sighs and takes a spoonful of her dessert. Chocolate-mousse. She's heard that chocolate helps to preserve your happiness.

On another table, Honda accuses Joey of being a pig.

Yugi blinks, stares down at his tray and finds it empty.

OWARI


End file.
